As We Melt Into Wine
by christinaof94
Summary: A look at Booth and Brennan's first encounter...and its ramifications 6 years later.


A/N: Hi! This is my first full-length fic...I'm still quite nervous about it. Lol. I'd like to thank **vamp926** (Liz) and **britishwannabe1** (Sam) on LJ (and Twitter, and...yeah, you get the point) for beta-ing.

* * *

"Agent Booth!", the red-headed woman said, smiling a little too brightly, "Go on in. He's waiting for you."

Booth gave the perky secretary a nod of appreciation as he walked toward Assistant Director Cullen's office. Stopping directly in front of Cullen's door, he quickly adjusted his tie and let out a breath of air. When he finally opened the door, he saw Director Cullen sitting at his desk and a woman with auburn hair sitting in front of him.

The woman turned toward his direction. She regarded him with a look of slight annoyance and aggravation. Booth instantly noticed her striking blue eyes.

"Booth!", Cullen said, nodding his head in the direction of the chair next to the woman, "Glad you finally made it. Have a seat."

Booth walked apprehensively and sat down.

"Morning, sir."

"Morning. This is Dr. Brennan from the Jeffersonian." Cullen looked back at Dr. Brennan and said, "Dr. Brennan, this is Agent Booth. He's who you'll be working with - if he accepts the position I offered him."

He turned back to Booth expectantly.

Hesitantly, Booth replied, "Sir, I haven't really--"

Brennan cut him off.

"Agent Booth, if you will; I am one of the best and most qualified forensic anthropologists in the country - and the only one in the area. You'd be very lucky to work with me." She gave him a satisfied smile.

Booth looked at her in disbelief and turned to Cullen, giving him a look that said, '_Is she serious?_'.

Shrugging, Cullen asks, "So, what do you say, Booth?"

_This should be interesting…_

Booth looked back at Brennan; she her raised her brow coyly back at him.

After a few seconds, he replies.

"Fine."

"Well, in that case…..you've got a case."

* * *

_This woman is insane. I'm sure of it._

"Look, Booth. Reed is the killer! The free-weight found in her garage perfectly matches the shape of the trauma inflicted on her parietal. She lives alone; she's the only one who had access to her own house!"

Booth was getting more and more frustrated with Brennan by the minute.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Reed has an alibi. She spent the weekend at her grandparents in Georgetown. They vouched for her!"

Brennan rolled her eyes.

"She could have easily driven back to kill McGregor."

"No, what? You know what, Bones, why don't you just let me do my job?"

"Because you're not doing your job! And don't call me Bones."

_She is so infuriating…and passionate…What? No…_

"This is why people like you should stay in the lab! You have no idea what you're talking about."

Brennan scoffed. "Why? So morons like you can screw up murder investigations?"

He'd had enough.

"You're so conceited!", Booth said, getting up to walk out of Brennan's office, "I'm going to interview Reynolds - who, by the way, is a _legitimate _murder suspect."

"Fine, whatever. Don't come back looking for my help!"

Walking away from Brennan's office, he yelled back, "Won't be needing it!"

* * *

The Jeffersonian was eerie late at night. Booth's footsteps echoed through the empty lab as he approached Brennan's office. Her office light was still on.

Booth stood in the threshold of her office, watching her fill out paperwork.

"You're still here."

Brennan didn't look up from her work.

"Yes, well, I have a lot of work to do. My work is very important, in case you haven't noticed." Brennan stopped writing for a moment and looked up. She had an irritated look on her face. "What are you doing here?"

Booth had a sheepish look on his face.

"I….just came by to say, you were right. Reed confessed earlier today."

Booth entered her office all the way. He walked toward her desk and stood in front of it. Brennan looked up and sat back, looking at Booth.

"I know I was." She crossed her arms.

Booth looked at her, cleared his throat and said, "So…I was wondering if you wanted to uh, grab a celebratory…bite to eat."

Brennan's eyes lit up and she smirked. She stood up and leaned forward on her desk.

"You know, Agent Booth," she said, looking directly into his eyes, "why don't we just skip the formalities and head back to my places - or yours. Whichever you prefer."

Booth was taken aback. _Is this woman really coming on to me?_

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Brennan scrunched her face up in confusion. "Were you not asking me to dinner in hopes of engaging in sexual intercourse afterwards? I know you find me physically attractive. And I find you aesthetically pleasing, as well." She looked at him questioningly.

_Maybe._

He was dumbstruck by her forthrightness. He paused for a moment, and answered.

"No, of course not! Can't a man ask a woman out to a friendly dinner?"

Brennan scoffed. "In my experience, men ask women out to have sex. I'm a very attractive woman, you know."

_Don't I know it…_

Booth gave her a look of disbelief.

"You are SO full of it! You think that just because you've got a degree or two," he began to turn to walk of her office, "you're entitled to anything you want."

Brennan got up and walked towards him. She looked at him nonchalantly.

"It's a doctorate."

"What?"

She walked up to him and looked up directly into his eyes. Smiling smugly, she said, "I've got a doctorate, actually. I'm a Ph.D. And I usually DO get what I want."

Booth chuckled slightly. He stepped forward and stood incredibly close to her. He looked at her with a glint in his eye and gave her a sexy smile.

"Not this time."

She glared at him angrily as he stepped back slowly. He turned around and walked out of her office.

Brennan grew more aggravated as she watched him walking towards the doors of the Jeffersonian.

She ran out of her office and yelled, "Booth!"

He stopped, turned around, and looked at her.

"Don't expect to be working with me anymore!"

He smirked at her, turned back around and continued to walk away. He waved back at her and said,

"Sure. Until next time, Bones!"

* * *

_Six and a half years later…_

-----

A knock at her door interrupted Brennan as she was reading on her couch. She put down her book and walked to her door. She opened the door to find Booth grinning at her.

"You know, you should really check who's at the door before you open it. Who knows what kind of creeps are hanging around here."

Brennan smiled tiredly at him and said, "What are you doing here? It's late."

"Well, it's Friday night, and we both don't have anything to do. Can I come in?" Booth raised his eyebrows hopefully.

Brennan looked at him questioning for a second before she said, "Sure", and opened the door wider, stepping back to let him in.

She went back to sit on her couch. Booth closed the door behind him and walked to sit down beside her.

They remained silent for a moment, before Booth spoke up, and asked, "So, what are you up to?"

"I was just reading, before you…" she said, nodding her head towards the book sitting on her coffee table.

'_The Anthropological Analysis of Television and Culture_'

"Booth, I--"

Booth interjected. "Why'd you go out with Hacker?"

Brennan looked at him, confused.

"What?"

Booth reiterated. "Why are you going out with Hacker? I thought we already established that we--"

Brennan scrunched her forehead and stopped him.

"Wait - I'm not 'going out with' Hacker. All I did was have coffee with him!"

Booth scoffed. "Ha! Well, I'm sure that went very well for you. According to you, he was 'quite funny and very charming'."

"Why does it matter if I go out with him? I'm a woman. An adult. I'm allowed to go out with men."

Booth rubbed his face with his hand in frustration. "Bones, I know you're allowed to go out with men. But, this is Hacker. He's not--"

"He's not what, Booth? Good enough for me? Did you do a background check on him, too? He's the Assistant Director of the FBI, Booth. Your boss."

She looked at him with a pained look on her face, one that said, _'Please don't do this now.'_

"I know who he is, Bones. What I'm trying to say is that he's not…he's not your type. He doesn't understand you. Not like…."

"Not my type? I think I'd know who's my type, Booth." Brennan looked at him angrily. "And I'd say he understands my needs pretty well." She smirked.

Booth stood up quickly. _What the hell is she thinking?_

"Oookay, Bones. Whatever. You obviously don't need my help." He turned and started walking towards her door.

Booth heard her get up off the couch.

"Is Dr. Klein your type?"

He paused for a while and turned around slowly.

"What?"

He found her staring back at him.

"You heard me. Is she your type? Is that why you're seeing her?"

Booth looked at her for a moment, confused. He tried to formulate a response, but couldn't.

"Bones…I…I'm not seeing her."

Brennan looked at Booth with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Sweets said you were. He said that you told him she offered you dinner. And that you accepted. That sounds like you're going to see her, does it not? He asked me how I felt about that."

Booth didn't respond for a moment.

"And how does that make you feel?"

Brennan looked down, and replied.

"I don't know, Booth."

Brennan looked up to find Booth standing close, directly in front of her.

"I'm not seeing her, Bones," he reassured her.

Brennan continued to look at him.

"Booth…what did you really mean when you said Director Hacker wasn't my type?" Brennan hesitated before continuing again, "Do you…do you still think I think I'm entitled because I have a doctorate?"

Booth reeled back, looking at her, appalled.

"Bones, that's not what I think, at ALL! How could you even think that?"

Brennan looked on, still confused. She continued.

"It's irrational and illogical, but ever since we told Sweets about our first case, I'm now constantly reminded that you don't want me. And Hacker, I'm aware that he finds me attractive and would like to have sex with me. I haven't had sexual intercourse in a very long time, Booth!"

Booth was rendered completely speechless. _I've known this woman for six years and she never ceases to surprise me._

"Bones…you have to know that that's not true. At all."

"What do you mean, it's not true? You clearly denied my proposition for sex when we first met. Plus, you've made it perfectly clear that there is a line, and that co-workers shouldn't engage in a sexual relations," she stated clearly.

Booth began to get frustrated and tried to figure out a way to avoid telling Brennan how he really…_felt._

"Bones, you have _no idea._ I think you're very attractive - you're beautiful, Bones." He smiled at her and hoped she accepted his reply.

Brennan still had a pained look on her face, and continued. Brennan sat down on her couch and looked up at him

"I know that, Booth, but…aren't you the one who's always advocating 'love' to me?" Brennan said, growing more frustrated and confused, "Am I not entitled to my own chance at love?" She looked at Booth, legitimately concerned and curious.

Booth hesitated and pondered how he was going to answer her. He sat down next to her and covered her hand with his.

"No. I mean, yes, you are entitled to that, but I think--"

"But what, Booth? Why is it that men aren't ever "good enough" for me, but you can go off and…see Dr. Klein!"

"I…..I don't know, Bones."

Brennan stood up and walked toward her bedroom. "I think you should just go, Booth." She had a tired look on her face. She rubbed her forehead in frustration.

Booth cut her off by placing his lips on hers. She hesitated at first, still frozen by the initial shock, but soon, Brennan felt Booth's tongue tease against her lips, seeking entrance. She obliged and immediately found her own tongue rubbing his, seeking dominance in a passionate frenzy. Her arms found their way around him and her hands roamed his back.

Booth was dazed by the feel of Brennan's lips against his own. He caressed her lips with his, hoping to convey to her what he truly felt. He resisted the urge to tear off her clothes and ravish her then and there. His right hand moved up to grasp the nape of her neck, and his left crept to her lower back and under her shirt, stroking the soft skin he found there.

Brennan paused for a moment at the touch of his hand against her skin.

"Booth…"

The sound of her voice brought him back to reality. _We can't be doing this here…not here…not…__**now**_.

As painstaking as it was for him, he pulled his lips away and rested his forehead against hers

"Booth, do you…do you want to…?" She nudged her head toward her bedroom.

_Yes._

"No." Brennan had a hurt look on her face.

Booth continued, before she could assume anything else.

"And it's not that I don't want to! I do. So very badly, Bones. But I don't think this is the right time. And not under the right circumstances."

"What would be the right circumstances, Booth?"

"After a date. I walk you to your door. I say that I should go, and you invite me in. And then we…" He waggled his eyebrows.

Brennan laughed. Then, she caught Booth just looking at her.

Booth cleared his throat and said, "I should go. Not that I want to." He walked towards her door and turned around. "I'll come by tomorrow. Alright, Bones?"

Brennan walked to him and opened her door.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Booth."

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. His hand went up to rest itself on her hip, but he stopped himself. _Not now._

He walked out of her apartment and turned around to find her still standing by her open door, smiling at him.

"C'ya, Bones."

She rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her. She leaned her back against the door and closed her eyes.

_Why don't you just take all of me?_


End file.
